What’s the Commotion Over TSA Scanning?

When TSA started using full body X-rays to scan passengers, many people were outraged.  While the organization attests that it is a matter of speed, safety, and national security, many airport passengers feel that it is an invasion of privacy, especially after it was found that some revealing images were being inadvertently saved and stored. 

Passengers have been growing increasingly frustrated with airline safety regulations since 9/11, and many feel that TSA has taken a step in the wrong direction in trying to balance personal privacy with safety.

The full body scan was intended to be mandatory, but passengers have been allowed to opt for a full pat down by TSA agents instead.  Unfortunately, the pat down includes TSA agents touching body parts that are usually taboo for a stranger to touch, such as breasts, the groin area and backsides, so of course it can seem like travelers are caught between a rock and a hard place in deciding which to opt for.

News headlines were huge when a video surfaced of a three year old girl getting a full pat down by the TSA at the airport.  Parents everywhere were outraged, but the airline pointed out that an innocent child would be a perfect scapegoat for someone wanting to get illegal items on board a plane.  Has TSA gone too far, or is this just what the world is coming to?

Security is going to have to be tight in airports, and citizens are going to have to figure out which of these two options makes them feel the least uncomfortable.  TSA and even local travel agents have taken a financial blow since these videos and photo saving allegations came out, but the simple fact is that security is going to remain a priority for airports.  Hopefully the long term impact will be minimal on a group that has already taken a huge loss since 9/11.